Struggling without his three young children, Matthew Badger has devoted his energy to the fund he established in memory of his girls.

The goal of the LilySarahGraceFund is to challenge and empower elementary school teachers in underfunded public schools around the nation to teach their academic curriculum through the universal language of the arts & creativity.

“We bring in the teachers, we ask the teachers to bring the arts into the classroom and teach their curriculum through art,” Badger said.

The grieving father said starting the fund has helped him in the healing process.

“I get to be with children who are my daughter’s age, which is an unbelievable, magical age,” he said. “I did a tour around the country,and I’ve become really friendly with certain classes, and they send me all sorts of notes and thanks and they know me.”